Nowadays, the pervasive narrative is that film is dead and television is better. This statement is only half true. While television is better than ever before, cinema isn’t doing too badly, either.

Most of my film experiences this summer were nothing but pleasant. Besides anything Michael Bay had his name on, there were very few complaints to be had about the intelligence of Hollywood blockbusters (in retrospect, I even enjoyed Winter Solider). In the art house world, some directors were doing things with the form that nobody has done before. Well, that happened in the blockbuster world as well.

Film is in a transitional period. This was the summer of On Demand, where a lot of films were available on your TV set the same day they were playing in select theaters. While I still prefer a trip to the theater any chance I get, it was nice to have access to the sort of films that usually don’t expand nationwide. It is too bad this wasn’t around when I was a high schooler yearning for my hometown to be a hip, indie place.

Here are my top six films of summer 2014. I choose six because math is irrelevant to me:

6. Obvious Child

There is nothing like a good summer indie to get away from all of the blockbuster explosions. Obvious Child was the breath of fresh air I needed. While Obvious Child wasn’t the most original romantic comedy ever made, it was never trying to be. In this tale of abortion, the one thing it is striving for is honesty, and that is exactly what it achieves. Plus, Jenny Slate delivers a career-defining performance. She turns all the noises she makes and fart jokes she tells into art.

5. 22 Jump Street

With both The Lego Movie and 22 Jump Street under their belts, Phil Lord and Chris Miller have made two of the best movies of the year. By seamlessly combining action and comedy, 22 Jump Street is the rare sequel that manages to surpass the original. It takes meta to the extreme without crashing and burning. Oh, and it is hilarious. At this point, Lord and Miller could film a pile of dog poop for three hours and everyone in America would pay to see it.

4. The Immigrant

This film about the American Dream does not shy away from the grittiness of history that historical films often try to conceal. The Immigrant contains a great performance from Marion Cotillard and a mesmerizing one from Joaquin Phoenix. It concludes with an ambiguous final shot that will one day be studied in film classes. In terms of stories of dirty, miserable, early 20th century New York, The Immigrant is a fine companion piece with The Knick (which you all should be watching).

3. Snowpiercer

The best of summer indies combined with the best of summer blockbusters make for the most entertaining allegory in ages. Chris Evans proves that he is an action star for the ages, and Tilda Swinton proves that she can play anything, even if you don’t understand what her character is. Snowpiercer is about rebellion, the class system, and even God. Not to get all current event-y here, but look at some of the recent events happening in Ferguson or the Middle East, and tell me that doesn’t remind you of Snowpiercer at all.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

Contemporary blockbusters have two settings: they are either grim and gritty, or goofy and self-aware. By being both goofy and sincere, Guardians of the Galaxy is the first comic book adaptation in a long time that manages to be both. Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the funniest movies so far this year, and it gets all of its humor based off of its characters, which you wouldn’t normally see in a giant space opera. I have seen Guardians of the Galaxy twice and purchased a Rocket Raccoon action figure. Guardians reminded me why I love to write about movies in the first place.

1. Boyhood

This coming-of-age epic was twelve years in the making and worth the wait. The way Boyhood was made is an achievement on its own, so the fact that it was actually good is pretty amazing. This is the first film I have seen that I feel like really captured my childhood, though people that grew up in every generation have said the same. Richard Linklater’s ability to hold my attention for nearly three hours with nothing but conversations and small milestones is miraculous. If Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and most of the other people involved don’t get Oscar nominations, then I will be extremely disappointed. There are so many moments in Boyhood that could have turned out to be terribly corny (“we don’t seize the moment…the moment seizes us”), but the overall authenticity truly sells it. Guardians of the Galaxy made me remember why I love movies, while Boyhood made me remember why I love life, even in all of its triumphs and failures.

Honorable Mentions: Life Itself, Edge of Tomorrow, X-Men: Days of Future Past, They Came Together

Episode 14: In the latest episode, Ian and Cassie discuss the most recent late night shakeup following Chelsea Handler’s move to Netflix. Plus, a recap of season four of Louie, a review of 22 Jump Street, and new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors!

Image via E! Online

In 2012, 21 Jump Street became one of the best bad ideas Hollywood ever had. It was a reboot of a TV show that nobody asked for, yet it has more heart and originality than most “original” ideas have nowadays have. But of course, when a movie works well, a sequel must be made.

22 Jump Street proves that lightning only strikes twice in Hollywood. It is by far the best movie to come out this summer all while making fun of everything that we have come to know about summer movies.

Just as its predecessor did, 22 Jump Street announces exactly what it is as soon as it possibly can. After Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) botch another mission, the police chief (Nick Offerman) tells them they have to play it safe and do everything exactly as they did before. He talks about unnecessary reboots and budgetary concerns. This is about as meta as you can get without completely deconstructing yourself into a corner.

So Schmidt and Jenko go back to school (college, to be specific) with the same identities and a similar goal of finding a dangerous drug supplier. But of course, they get carried away in their newfound college careers. Schmidt gets a girlfriend (Amber Stevens), Jenko joins the football team, and before, after, and in between, the two of them get involved in some wild parties and do the kind of dumb things that you can only get away with when you are in college.

Like any sequel, 22 Jump Street repeats plenty of elements from its predecessor. While being self-aware of this fact, it does right by building upon, rather than just imitating, an already existing foundation. Yes, 22 Jump Street also has a drug trip sequence, and while this one cannot surpass the sheer joy in the surprise of the original one, it also doesn’t want to be anything like it at all. 22 Jump Street is a lot of familiar premises with very different punchlines.

That there is the spirit of Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who are now one of the best director duos working today. With this and The Lego Movie, they are having a banner year of showing that putting a new spin on something old can be just as good as an original idea. Because few ideas are ever completely original, anyway. Every Lord/Miller joint shows that one pop culture item is simply a layer for somebody to build something new on top of it. There’s something radical and rebellious that I really like about that attitude.

Okay, I am getting a little up my own ass here. That is too bad, as 22 Jump Street never does that when it could have in so many places. 22 Jump Street goes meta but then stops before it can be unbearable. It realizes that buddy cop movies need to be taken down a notch, but also that is what everybody came here to see. In that respect, 22 Jump Street is an improvement over 21 Jump Street, as it manages to combine action and humor in a much more seamless way. Not to mention, Hill and Tatum have an unparalleled odd couple chemistry. They are like two improvisors that just can’t read each other and amazingly, that works to their advantage.

22 Jump Street is far and away the funniest movie so far this year, and it is definitely the best blockbuster so far this summer. By the end, you will realize that the Jump Street series doesn’t need a third installment. In fact, that would possibly be dangerous to the legacy of this series. Yet, I still want to see that movie, and that is something I never thought I would say.

Brain Farts From The Edge (Some Spoilers)

• Somebody made an excellent video about how few American directors know how to do visual comedy and that Edgar Wright is the only one who has figured this out. I would like to make an updated version of this video that includes Phil Lord and Chris Miller on the shortlist of people who have figured out visual comedy.
• The 21 Jump Street series has become the comedy equivalent of the Scream franchise.
• Normally, I am not a fan of movies using current pop music. But for some reason it just makes sense here. After all, college kids listen to dubstep. That’s how it is.
• There is a part where Channing Tatum says he wants to be in the secret service and protect the president. Maybe he should check out White House Down.
• The fake sequels in the credits were an act of pure genius. I don’t know which one was my favorite, but I do know that the Seth Rogen and Bill Hader are cameos were much appreciated.
• I never thought jokes about budgets and spending could be this funny.
• For the lunch scene alone, Ice Cube is the MVP of 22 Jump Street.
• I like how they changed the dynamic between Hill and Tatum in 22 Jump Street.
• 22 Jump Street is so openly self-aware that writing a review seems pointless. However, I had a lot of fun writing this.
• At this point, Phil Lord and Chris Miller could direct a Justin Bieber 3D concert movie and I would still pay money to go see it.

Every once in a while, a film needs to come around that alleviates all of your worries and reminds you that everything is awesome. As the main song suggests, “The Lego Movie” is exactly what you are looking for.

“The Lego Movie” is the movie that I had no idea I was waiting for. Even after waiting a week to see it, the hype does not tamper its impact at all. “The Lego Movie” proves that you don’t have to be Pixar to create something that is both great for kids and the annoyed parents that they drag with them to the movies.

Here’s the thing: I fall into neither of those categories. I am not young enough to be a child or old enough to take care of one. I am in the state between childhood and adulthood, which is why “The Lego Movie” was perfect for me.

The greatest trick “The Lego Movie” pulls is making a 90 minute Lego ad that doesn’t feel like one at all. Maybe that’s because nobody needs to advertise Legos anymore; at this point, the word is basically a part of the English language. Therefore, making a Lego movie is much more than just a blind cash grab.

Yes, “The Lego Movie” has a real story. Emmet (Chris Pratt) is a construction worker and a fairly boring dude. He only likes the pop song that everyone listens to (“Everything is Awesome”) and the most popular sitcom (“Where’s My Pants,” which just reeks of “The Big Bang Theory”). He is an empty vessel, to hilarious effect. That is until he meets Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), who wins him over because she is a really hot Lego. He also finds out that he is the “chosen one” who will lead the Resistance against President Business (Will Ferrell) and reunite all of the Lego worlds. This is how the movie is able to bring Batman (Will Arnett) into the story. Will Arnett, by the way, might be the best Batman to date.

“The Lego Movie” is infectious. Try to watch it and not have a great time. It is packed to the brim with jokes, like it is trying to throw as much as it can against the wall. Basically all of it sticks. It crosses different pop culture zones with such ease while everyone involved also seems to be having a blast. This is the best opportunity you will get to watch some really respected actors basically making fun of themselves. Liam Neeson gets to play a tough cop loosely based off of his “Taken” persona, while Morgan Freeman gets to play the sage, but with much less useful advice.

Animation is probably the greatest way to boil down a complicated world view into something both simple and farcical. Hey, life itself is pretty cartoonish, and “The Lego Movie” is the cartoonish thing it deserves to imitate it. “The Lego Movie” is all about the goods that we consume everyday with such ease. What does it say about us that the song “Everything is Awesome,” the only song that DJs play on the radio, is so damn catchy?

But “The Lego Movie” is not a pop song, it is pop art. I feel weird for saying that, but it is true. “The Lego Movie” comes from the minds of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The two of them also collaborated on “21 Jump Street.” They have a rare talent for taking a really bad idea and turning it into a really good product. Originality is rare today in Hollywood, and most remakes and movies based on toys are immediately shunned by the press, even if they do well at the box office. There really is something great to be said about taking something dusty and stale and turning it into something exciting and new. Lord and Miller actually respect the source material that they work with.

“The Lego Movie” not only makes the toy-based movie good, but also movies in general. It follows the typical movie structure basically to a T. If you know movies, then you will see that it hits basically every important plot point at just the right time. Yet, it takes all of those and hits the biggest high note possible. There is a big speech, but it is actually a good speech. It has a big third act twist that could have been disastrous, but it ends up giving the film its heart. Basically, “The Lego Movie” restored my faith in formula.

Despite playing by the rules, “The Lego Movie” is also about anarchy. It is about the power of drawing outside the lines and using your imagination. What Lord and Miller are doing with their career is playing the Hollywood game, but doing it the way that they want to. “The Lego Movie” is like watching a really creative kid who is on his way to being a really smart kid playing with his toys. “The Lego Movie” is like reliving your childhood, but with much better lighting.

Brain Farts From The Edge (Some Spoilers Follow)

• Not that the series needs any help, but Lord and Miller deserve their own “Muppets” movie.
• Little kids will watch Unikitty (Alison Brie), but probably not find her funny until they are much older.
• I’m calling it now: “The Lego Movie” is this generation’s “Toy Story.” There, I said it.
• Yes, this brought tears to my eyes at one point. When father and son hug, it is just such a sweet moment. The fact that I got this emotional over two characters that are barely in the movie says a lot about how effective “The Lego Movie” is.
• I love how the little sisters’ lego blocks are those big ones they gave you because you were two young to handle the little ones. Just a nice little detail.
• Is there a better on screen pairing than Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill? Their Superman and Green Lantern deserve their own spinoff.
• Speaking of which, in terms of that whole controversy of “The Lego Movie” stealing the Superman joke from Jerry Seinfeld: I think that Jerry might have been joking around with those Tweets. Comedians do enjoy sarcasm. If he isn’t, then he should really back off. Jerry, I think you’ve got enough money. Let them have this one. They earned it.

Image via Film School Rejects

Note: I wish I thought of this headline last year when “Silver Linings Playbook” was nominated. Better late than never?

On the morning that the Oscar nominations are announced, Hollywood must look a lot like the opening of “The Lion King.” The sun rises, and every animal out there (or in this case, actors, agents, managers, etc.) put aside their differences and march down to Pride Rock (or in this case, a stage) to hear who will could be crowned as the next rulers of Hollywood.

The circle of life is naturally repetitive, and every year consists of equal parts happiness and outrage over the nominations. For every nomination that voters get right, there’s about three they get wrong. For instance, I could write an entire article about the egregious snubbing of “Inside Llewyn Davis.” But I’ll save that for later, as it is worth staying positive and acknowledging when the establishment honors the right people and films. Credit where credit is due, here is where the Academy got it right this year:

Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

It’s about time that this visual mastermind got nominated for Best Director. His groundbreaking use of long takes in everything from “Y Tu Mama Tambien” to “Children of Men” were just a taste for the breathtaking scope of “Gravity.” It’s not often that a sci-fi blockbuster gets nominated for Best Picture. Under the care of Cuaron, “Gravity” showed the existential dread of the vast emptiness of space like few others before him ever had.

Annapurna Pictures/Megan Ellison

This year, Megan Ellison became only the fourth person in Oscar history to produce two films nominated for Best Picture in the same year. This year, she is up for both “American Hustle” and “Her.” Some of her past features include “Killing Them Softly,” “The Master,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.” Ellison’s success in the Oscars this year shows that her model of taking on risky projects that others won’t touch is really paying off. Good taste goes a long way.

The Hunt

Once it made it to American soil, “The Hunt” quietly came and went. Hopefully, this nomination will bring it back into the spotlight. Regardless, of whether or not it wins, “The Hunt” is something to be seen and remembered. It’s the kind of drama that would have trouble getting made in America, because it goes to every dark place you don’t want it to go to, and it is both enthralling and terrifying to watch. As Lucas, a man falsely accused of molesting a child, Mads Mikkelsen invites you to watch his life be completely destroyed with him. It was a performance that has sadly been snubbed all around. “The Hunt” is a painful experience, but no matter how unhappy it turns out to be, it feels like a reward to have made it out unscathed.

Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street)

When most comedic actors and actresses decide to take on a “serious” role, they usually pick a part that is the complete opposite of anything they have done in the past. However, Hill used all of the comedic strengths he displayed in “Knocked Up” and “Superbad” to fantastic effect in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Hill seems to have a natural chemistry with just about everyone he is on screen with, and one of the many skills of a great actor is to make everyone they are working with look better. Jonah Hill is now a two time Oscar nominee, but let’s not forget where it all began:

Bruno Delbonnel (Inside Llewyn Davis)

Because my favorite film of the year was snubbed in every major category, it is best to appreciate what little was given to it. Bruno Delbonnel’s bleak, color-drained cinematography perfectly matched the film’s mood. The film looks and feels like seasonal depression. If you’ve never experienced a winter in the Northeast, you’ll feel like you have after watching “Inside Llewyn Davis.”